“Kitten…”
“Don’t Kitten me.” I scowled, on a roll now. “You left around five or so and didn’t get back till when? Past two in the morning? What were you guys doing? And get that stupid smile off your face. This isn’t funny.”
Daemon tried to get rid of the smile but failed. “I love when your claws come out.”
“Oh, shut up.” Disgusted, I pushed at his arm. “Let me go. You can call up Ash and see if she’ll make you some eggs and bacon. I’m out of here.”
Instead of letting me go, he shifted atop me, holding himself up with his hands planted on either side of my shoulders. Now he was grinning—that infuriating, cocky grin of his. “I just want to hear you say it: I’m jealous.”
“I already said it, butt-face. I’m jealous. Why wouldn’t I be?”
He cocked his head to the side. “Oh, I don’t know. Maybe because I never wanted Ash, and I wanted you from the first moment I saw you—and before you get started, I know I had a bad way of showing it, but you know I wanted you. Only you. You’re insane to be jealous.”
“I am?” I fought back angry tears. “You guys were together.”
“Were together.”
“She probably still wants you.”
“I don’t want her, so it doesn’t matter.”
It mattered to me. “She’s model beautiful.”
“And you’re more beautiful.”
“Don’t try to sweet-talk me.”
“I’m not,” he said.
Staring over his shoulder, I bit my lip. “You know, at first I thought I kind of deserved last night. Now I know how you felt when I went out with Blake. Like karma was schooling me, but it’s not the same. You and I weren’t together then and Blake and I didn’t have that kind of history.”
He took a deep breath. “You’re right; it’s not the same thing. I didn’t go out with Ash on a date. Andrew stopped by and we got to talking about Ethan. Andrew was hungry, so we decided to get something to eat. Dee tagged along and Ash was there, because you know, she’s his sister.”
I gave a lopsided shrug. Okay, he had a point.
“And we didn’t go out to eat. We ended up ordering pizza, went back to Andrew’s house, and we talked about Sunday. Ash is scared to death that she’s going to lose Andrew, too. Dee still wants to murder Blake. I spent hours talking them through this. It wasn’t a party you weren’t invited to.”
But I wasn’t invited at all, I wanted to say, but I knew that was stupid. “Why didn’t you tell me, at least? You could’ve said something. Then my imagination wouldn’t have run circles around me.”
He stared at me a moment, then pushed up, sitting beside me. “I meant to stop by when I got home, but it was late.”
So last night was a dream. Lameness officially confirmed.
“Look, I didn’t think about it.”
“Apparently,” I muttered.
Daemon rubbed the spot above his heart. “I honestly didn’t think you’d get this upset. I figured you’d know better.”
I was still flat on my back, too weary to move. “Know better?”
“Yeah, that you’d know if Ash pranced naked into my bedroom right now, I’d still send her packing. That you didn’t have anything to worry about.”
“Thanks for that image you implanted into my brain forever.”
He shook his head, huffing out a dry laugh. “This insecurity thing ticks me off, Kat.”
My mouth dropped open and I flew up, coming to rest on my knees. “Excuse me? Are you the only one who’s allowed to be insecure?”
“What?” He smirked. “Why would I be insecure?”
“Good question, but what do you call your little episode with Blake yesterday in the hallway? And that stupid question about me wanting to help Blake?”
He snapped his mouth shut.
“Ha! Exactly. It’s even more ridiculous for you to be insecure. Let me spell it out for you.” When my anger rose, the Source did, too. It skated over my skin. “I loathe Blake. He used me and was ready to turn me over to Daedalus. He killed Adam. There’s only a teeny tiny bit of me that can actually tolerate him. How can you even be any bit jealous of him?”
Daemon’s jaw popped. “He wants you.”
“Oh, dear God, he does not.”
“Whatever. I’m a guy. I know what other guys are thinking.”
I threw my hands up. “It doesn’t matter if he did. I. Hate. Him.”
He looked away. “Okay.”
“And you don’t hate Ash. There’s a part of you that loves her. I know you do and maybe not in the way you feel about me, but there’s affection there—there’s history. Sue me if I’m a little bit intimidated by that.”
I pushed off the bed, wanting to stomp across the room like a toddler. Maybe even throw myself on the floor. I’d work off some energy that way.
Daemon appeared in front of me and stepped forward, cradling my cheeks. “Okay. I see your point. I should’ve said something. And the stuff with Blake—yeah, it’s stupid, too.”
“Good.” I folded my arms.
His lips twitched. “But you’ve got to understand that you are who I want. Not Ash. Not anyone else.”
“Even if the Elders want you to be with someone like her?”
He lowered his head, brushing his lips along my cheekbone. “I don’t care what they want. I’m incredibly selfish like that.” He kissed my temple. “Okay?”